Chancellor's Column: Strategic Planning Launch

"If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else." 

– Yogi Berra

View this message in its original email format.

Dear Colleagues-Friends,

Earlier this month, Dr. Cindy Russell, Vice Chancellor for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs, and I had the pleasure and privilege to launch – with you – our strategic planning for UTHSC at a remarkably well attended – and equally so engaging – Strategic Planning Town Hall that was live-streamed across all our campuses. I’m most grateful to Cindy for all her efforts in planning and coordinating this important institution-wide process, as well as to our other leaders on the Operational Workgroup. Our decision to not engage an external firm to produce our strategic plan was in part driven by this opportunity to build organizational capacity, as well as to enable broader participation among colleagues through our workgroups.

Balancing such broad participation with having a nimble enough process that it moves forward cohesively and in a timely manner is always a challenge in any strategic planning process. To that end, we have devised several ways, as highlighted below, that everyone on campus can contribute to our future plan. Now is also a good time to share your opinions, thoughts, and concerns with us about what you would like to see in our next strategic plan. Please share your feedback via this anonymous form.

Additionally, please visit our Strategic Plan website where you will find (in addition to our current mission, vision, values, and the retiring 2018-23 strategic plan) a timeline, diagram of the strategic pillars for UTHSC as well as the UT System, link to the recent Town Hall, list of workgroups and their members. There is also a link to the feedback form so that you can continue to submit your comments during the process. 

Our strategic planning is timely and will be run inclusively and efficiently so as to be completed over the coming months, alongside seeking regular input from the UTHSC Advisory Board, and with regular updates to you. The new 2023-28 UTHSC Strategic Plan, which will be the product of all of us, will be presented to the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees at the board meeting that we will be privileged to host on our Memphis campus in June of 2023.  

Please know that we very much appreciate the advice and support of the many faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders, as collectively we refine the direction of our institution. All feedback is most welcome – now and any time over the coming months.

 

With every good wish,

Peter F. Buckley, MD
Chancellor